Hemospermia
Basic Information 
Clinical Presentation
History, Chief Complaint
• Red-tinged semen (if collected), or red fluid discharge from the mare’s vulva or stallion’s prepuce (if bred by natural cover)
• Bloody discharge from the penis after breeding (Figure 1)
• Blood on the collection dummy or phantom (Figure 2)
• Potentially slow or painful ejaculation when the stallion is bred or collected
Physical Exam Findings
• Blood traces on the hind legs
• Presence of erythrocytes in semen (may not be grossly discolored if microscopic hemospermia is present [Figure 3])
• Stallions are usually clinically healthy with no systemic signs of illness.
Etiology and Pathophysiology
• Blood from lesions on the surface of the penis: Habronemiasis and squamous cell carcinoma are the most common.
• Blood from an inflammatory process in the urethra or seminal vesicles
• A urethral defect (urethral rent) results in hemospermia because of the increase in pressure in the corpus spongiosum penis during erection and ejaculation.
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